Discord Drops Persona After Users Blast UK Age Checks And Data Practices
HotHardware • • technology
Key Points:
- Discord faced backlash over its "Teen-By-Default" age verification policy requiring users to upload government-issued IDs, linked to its partnership with Persona, an age assurance firm partially funded by Peter Thiel.
- Hackers discovered Persona's frontend code contained elements tied to US government surveillance and an OpenAI-powered watchlist, sparking concerns about potential ties to ICE and intelligence agencies, which Persona denied.
- Discord announced it would end its collaboration with Persona after a brief UK trial lasting less than a month, though the broader age verification policy remains in place amid growing political pressure for age-gated internet access.
- Persona CEO Rick Song engaged openly with critics and hackers on social media, with some security concerns downplayed, but mutual distrust
